Nicole A. Buffalano

合夥人

Nicole has deep knowledge of traditional labor law, representing employers in complex labor relations issues across diverse industries, including sports and entertainment, hospitality, healthcare, automotive, trucking, maritime, and manufacturing. She brings extensive experience in advancing employers’ interests in corporate campaigns, union elections, unfair labor practice proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board and federal courts, collective bargaining, arbitration, strike and picketing management, and labor considerations in mergers and acquisitions.

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2026 World Cup: Business Potential & Legal Pitfalls

Nicole provides strategic counsel on fostering respectful workplaces, managing workplace disruptions, and navigating contentious issues such as labor-backed legislation and politically divisive topics among employees. She also regularly provides training and guidance to executives to help them navigate intricate labor- and employee-related challenges.

In today’s evolving legal landscape, Nicole is known nationally for her ability to craft innovative, business-focused strategies to mitigate legal risks. Her work has earned accolades from the Los Angeles Business Journal, Forbes Magazine, Benchmark Litigation, The National Law Journal, The Daily Journal, and Law360.

Nicole serves on the steering committee of ML Women and the firm’s global sports industry team, in addition to contributing to the firm’s retail industry group. She is a sought-after speaker at internal as well as external conferences, where she shares insights on emerging labor law developments.

Before joining Morgan Lewis, Nicole was a board attorney with the NLRB in the New York and West Los Angeles regional offices. There she investigated, prosecuted, and negotiated the settlement of unfair labor practices; processed representation petitions; and oversaw union elections.

Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, 2006, J.D., Magna Cum Laude
University of Maryland, 2001, B.A.

California
Maryland

Listed, Los Angeles Business Journal, Thriving in their 40s (2025)

Listed, Forbes, Top 200 Lawyers (2024)

Listed, Benchmark Litigation, Labor and Employment Litigator of the Year and Impact Case Award Winner (2023)

Recommended, Industry Focus: Sport, The Legal 500 US (2024)

Recommended, Labor and employment: Labor-management relations, The Legal 500 US (2019–2024)

Ranked, Labor & Employment, California, Chambers USA (2022–2024)

Listed, Benchmark Litigation, Top 10 Labor Lawyers (2022)

Listed, The National Law Journal, Sports Trailblazer (2022)

Listed, Top Women Lawyers in California, The Daily Journal (2022, 2024)

Member, Sports and Betting Editorial Advisory Board, Law360 (2023)

Listed, Law360, MVP, Labor and Employment (2021)

Member, Law360, Practice Group of the Year, Employment (2017, 2019)

Finalist, The Recorder, Litigation Department of the Year – Labor and Employment (2013)